Spellbound, Book 1
by Taryn Amorette Valise
Summary: Please note that I do not own any of J.K. Rowlings characters. I do however own the ones that I have made up. Please review, but keep any rude comments to yourself. Thank you!


Streams of crystalline tears held me captive as I stood plastered against one of the numerous corridors of our mansion. My parent's fatal screams continued to echo throughout my ears, causing an overwhelming ringing sensation. I stole a quick glance around the corner, and the sight I beheld drowned me with a newfound anger. Bellatrix Lestrange stood above both of my screeching parents. The cruciatus curse in full effect.

I watched in horror as she withdrew her wand and began to skip with excitement around the room. The obvious thought of a death opportunity lighting up in her eyes...

"Taryn! Taryn! Don't you want to say goodbye to mummy n' daddy?" she spat, her foul tongue licking her lips anxiously.

I cringed as her voice mirrored my thoughts. They were going to die. Everything I'd ever known was about to cascade into a new universe. I drew my wand around the corner, and flung myself at Bellatrix,

"Stupefy!" the words had escaped my mouth before I knew it, my emerald eyes blazing with fire. The spell sent her flying into an ebony table, the once glossy surface now tarnished with her blood.

"A brave young witch, are we?" she began, struggling to her feet as I backed up nervously. I stood over my parents; their once young faces now pale and aged. I instantly positioned my wand directly at her as she continued in a sickly tone,

"Bravery doesn't save you, Taryn." her voice was becoming tainted with anger as she smeared her own blood across her face.

"Maybe it doesn't, but it doesn't mean I can't try." I stepped forward, a spell just leaving my parted lips before I was instantly plunged into a pain I'd never dreamed of. I fell to the ground, writhing in agony as the Dark Lord's wand hovered above my now paling body.

"I did think we could've avoided this, my dear Taryn. Don't you know not to get in the way of my plans?" His fringed obsidian cloak swung over me as he began to make his exit, my body still twitching under the demand of the curse.

"I believe you can finish up, Bello's." With a flick of his wand, he evaporated

into thin air. My mother and father intertwined a shaky hand into my tangled black hair as they whispered tear-filled goodbyes into my ears. Before I could find the strength to reply a green of heartbreaking flashing light filled the room.

I found myself lying between the cold corpses of my parents as I became

overtaken with darkness. Blackout. Not even the bone-chilling breeze creeping in through the shattered windows could stir me into consciousness.

Voices. They were twirling and spinning through my mind. They seemed distant, utterly detached. The whispers were faint and full of sharpness.

"Do not wake her, Sirius. Let her rest." said a husky voice close by.

A steady hand fell upon my forehead as I struggled to sit up. But as soon as I did I was cascaded into instant darkness and swiftly moved from the ground. I was in-between blackouts, and my veins burned like fire.

My body ached from the curse, and all I remembered was the bright stars as I was carried away on a dark-winged creature.

My eyes had finally fully adjusted to my current condition. I was no longer dizzy and weak, but shaken up was definitely a good word for what I was feeling. My emerald eyes nervously scanned the room; which brought familiar memories to mind. I was in my Uncles House. Uncle Roxus to be exact. I pushed back the charcoal-colored covers and moved the transparent drapes from view. The cherry-oak woodened floor creaked under me as I made my way to the door. I snuck through it silently and made my way to three flights of stairs that all led down towards the main floor. His house was a three-story mansion, and I'd only ever visited it once.

Two tall figures sat at a long dining table inside of a bare and bleak room. The walls were cracked and old, and its obsidian walls blended with my hair.

"Taryn. You're up?" asked Roxus as he scooted from the table and made his way over to me. His hair cascaded down to his shoulders, and was as dark as mine. His eyes were a somewhat dull blue, and his attire wasn't exactly the best; or what was probably the cleanest.

"Well she's in plain view Roxus, isn't she?" answered a sarcastic tone that held his back to me. His frame was similar in looks to Roxus, but I couldn't place my finger on who it was exactly.

I grinned as Roxus hugged me tightly, almost as if he'd never let me go. My voice was muffled through his dark brown cloak as I spoke, "Nice to see you again, Roxus."

"And I can say the same, Tara." Said Roxus as he gestured towards a worn leather chair, "Please take a seat. We do have much to discuss. Some good, some bad." He said softly as I made my way to the chair. "Surely you remember your close cousin, Sirius. He came with me to find you." He said as he took a seat at the head of the table.

Sirius looked towards me, and I smiled. So that's who he was. No wonder I hadn't remembered who it was, I'd met him as an infant…

"Excuse me Uncle, but I've only ever met Sirius once; as an infant. So I don't exactly remember him that clearly." I said, leaning back in the chair. My skin had always been on the paler side, but against all the dark colors in the room, it seemed as white as the moon.

"She's right, Roxus. I remember her, a quiet one she was." Spoke Sirius with a slight nod of his head, "But it's time we get down to what we really need to discuss. Roxus, if you'd be so kind to start."

Roxus cleared his throat and leaned over the glossy black table, "Taryn, how much do you remember of last night?" he asked, his eyes focusing in on me.

Everything instantly snapped back into place. I was here because of The Dark Lord, because of Bellatrix and my parents. I was here because of the destruction of my home, and the death of my parents. Why hadn't I woken up to these thoughts? What had kept me for remembering, exactly? I found my palms digging into my eyes as I tried to fight the tears from streaming, but I couldn't even begin to control them. Drops of salty water slapped against the table, and my hands trembled as familiar pain coursed through my body.

"T-the cruciatus c-curse…and d-death…" my voice came out as a chocked whisper, something I desperately wished I could have avoided. I wasn't known to cry, but this pain was all too real.

"I'm sorry, Taryn… It was to late when I got there. They were gone, but you…you weren't. Which brings us to this discussion…" his voice trailed off, which made me glance up at him. He seemed distant, and Sirius took over for him.

"It is the middle of the year, and your parents had been home-schooling you, I know. But Roxus will be busy with…business. So you'll be attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." He stated firmly, as if I'd have an issue with going to a school. I didn't, though. I'd never wanted to be home-schooled. My parents had to travel, and so I had been dragged along.

"I will explain everything to you, Taryn. I promise. You must be wondering why your parents were targeted…why you are still being targeted. For now though, go change and meet Sirius and I by the door. Professor Dumbledore knows that you will be arriving soon, and it's your first year. Showing up halfway through isn't usually how they want things." Said Roxus as he exited the room.

I glanced at Sirius; "I don't have any problems with going to school, if you were wondering." I said before scooting back the chair and beginning down the hallway. I spun around as a house elf knocked into me, and then bowed and began to mutter to itself, scolding itself aloud, "Falx is sorry. Falx meant know harm to the lovely niece of Roxus…can Falx help the niece?"

Taryn stared at him, but smiled and held out her hand, "It's fine, Falx. I'm Taryn, the niece as you said." I watched as Falx gently took my hand and shook it awkwardly, which made me grin and drop his hand.

"Actually, you can help me." I said as I began to make my way up the creaking flights of stairs, "I suppose I need to pack some things." Falx bowed once again and started after me slowly.

"Of course, Ms. Taryn. It is Falx's pleasure to help such a pretty noble lady." He said as I disappeared up the last flight of stairs.

These were my deathly hours.


End file.
